If you have ever wanted to take your dog for a quiet walk, you might be surprised to learn we have a hidden oasis right off of Palm Bay Road. Ais Trail Park and Dewar Park sit right next to each other, and they’re almost entirely empty most days of the week.
In fact, on a walk just this evening, there wasn’t a single other person at either park.
So why is nobody there? The secret comes down to a simple design quirk: unless you know exactly where to look, it is almost impossible to figure out where you are supposed to park your car. The locals know, but unless you’re searching on google maps there are no obvious signs or directions.
Ais Trail Park
Tucked away along Turkey Creek, Ais Trail Park is an 18-acre slice of untouched Florida ecosystem. It feels less like a city park and more like a secret nature preserve.
Where to Park: Do not try to look for a massive trailhead sign on the main road. The actual parking area is hidden at the end of Hickory Avenue NE, just past the historic St. Joseph Catholic Church and Cemetery. Don’t park too close to the fire hydrant.
The Vibe: Never busy. It features an incredibly scenic, shaded 0.6-mile unpaved nature trail, onsite restrooms, and a fishing deck with views of the creek.
Dog-Friendly: Entirely pet-friendly, making it a wonderful, shaded route for leashed dogs.
The Boardwalk Bridge to Dewar Park
The highlight of the walk is the seamless connection between the two spaces. If you follow the elevated wooden boardwalk all the way through the trees from the Ais Trail side, you will cross a beautiful boardwalk bridge that brings you to a quiet neighborhood sidewalk and then right into Dewar Park.
Combining both parks via the boardwalk gives you a much longer, diverse walking path that blends dense woods with open park space.
Dewar Park
Once you cross the boardwalk, the scenery changes into a wide-open, peaceful park centered around a quiet pond.
Where to Park: This side of the park sits deep within a residential neighborhood. It lacks a major dedicated parking lot, so the best way to experience it is to simply leave your car at the Ais Trail lot on Hickory Ave and walk over the boardwalk bridge.
The Vibe: Just like Ais Trail, it is remarkably quiet and pet-friendly. It features a clean concrete walkway, an open loop trail, shaded benches, a picnic pavilion, and great views of water birds and local turtles.
If you’re looking for a peaceful destination to get out of the house for a short walk, it’s definitely worth checking out. During the summer heat, a late day visit around 6PM is a perfect time.
—Nathan
